Development of High Performance Direct Formic Acid Fuel Cell Using Hyper Branched Polymer as a Catalyst Stabilizer

Abstract

A hyperbranched polymer was used as a catalyst stabilizer for use in a direct formic acid fuel cell, DFAFC, to obtain a high performance with a low catalyst loading. The catalyst ink was prepared by the mixing of Pd nanoparticles stabilized by a hyper branched polymer (H-Pd) and carbon black, which was then calcinated at 300 oC and 500 oC in flowing nitrogen to investigate the effect of the stabilizer residual on the catalytic activity for the formic acid oxidation. It was found that the catalytic activity of the H-Pd was 6 times higher than that of Pd black with a 500 oC calcination. In this condition, a cluster of Pd nanoparticles was observed. By using this catalyst as an anode catalyst of the DFAFC, a 6 times higher power density could be obtained compared to the case using Pd black.